Zugzwang (a short story)

By JJ Toner

Germany, March 1933. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party have swept into power. In Munich, Kommissar Saxon of the civilian police force is hunting a brutal killer that stalks the streets of the city. But the shadow of the Schutzstaffel (SS) hangs over Saxon and his assistant, making their task close to impossible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JJ Toner
• Release date: Apr 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781908519221

JJ Toner

Full time writer since 2007. So far (2022) I have published two Irish detective thrillers, six historical fiction spy novels, two young adult science fiction books, and a substantial number of short stories: I live in Ireland with my wife and youngest son under a giant copper beech tree.

Book preview

ZUGZWANG

A short story by

JJ Toner

First published April, 2015

Cover: Anya Kelleye

Smashwords edition

ISBN: 9781908519221

Copyright 2015 JJ Toner

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, business establishments, events or locales are entirely coincidental.

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chapter 1

On March 3, 1933, four days after the burning of the Reichstag in Berlin, Kriminalkommissar Saxon of the Munich police arrived at work late. He’d had little sleep. His wife, Ruth, had spent half the night nursing a colicky baby in their one bedroomed apartment in Piperstrasse.

His telephone was ringing as he approached his desk. He picked it up and barked, What is it?

You will be aware of this morning’s murder in Schwabing. It was Saxon’s boss, Kriminaldirektor Mydas.

Of course, sir, a most unfortunate murder. Saxon signalled wildly to his assistant who had just entered the room balancing a couple of cups of coffee on a tray. Kriminaloberassistent Glasser put down the tray, grabbed the incident log from the front desk, and dropped it in front of Saxon. Saxon ran a finger down the overnight entries and found the incident in question.

Mydas grunted. That’s not how I would have described it. But I’ve decided it would be best if you take over the case. We need to find this maniac and put him away quickly. It won’t take the newspapers long to make the connection between the two killings. And when that happens every woman in Munich will be too terrified to venture into the streets, and we will all come under extreme pressure from our political masters. Bernd Hessel has the two files. Drop into my office when you’ve read them.

Mydas terminated the call. Saxon groped for his coffee, his eyes glued to the incident log. Why was I not told about this?

Glasser used a bony finger to slide Saxon’s coffee under his searching hand. The report came in at 2:00 am, sir. The duty sergeant called Kommissar Hessel. I expect he thought you probably needed your sleep – you and your good lady, both.

One look at the preliminary notes from the crime scene told Saxon what connection the newspapers would make. A prostitute had been the subject of a gruesome murder in Hofgraben in the red light district a couple of weeks earlier. The mutilations sounded remarkably similar. He should have called me. Do we have the victim’s name?

Frau Henrietta Happeck, aged 59. She was a housekeeper for a Jewish banker.

More than any man Saxon had ever met, Glasser resembled the grim reaper. A tall man, he was nothing but skin and bone, all he needed was a hooded cape and a scythe. His voice had a hollow, echoing tone, too, the words ‘Jewish banker’ sounding like a death knell from his mouth.

#

Bernd Hessel was surprisingly cooperative.

I’ve been asked to take over the red light case now that it looks like a double murder, said Saxon.

"I heard. Kriminaldirektor Mydas informed me this